London Metropolitan University recently opened its new £30m Science Centre – the largest ever single UK investment in university science education. The Centre, next door to the new Arsenal Emirates Stadium in north London, boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including the 8,000m2 Super Lab, equipped with the most advanced interactive teaching equipment in Europe. All the lighting for the Lab, which includes 280 individual student work-stations and extensive audio-visual equipment, was supplied by Concord:marlin. The space has an open-grid ceiling, so the Concord:marlin team had to co-ordinate closely with the designers and contractors, in order to integrate the lighting within various exposed service ducts and other equipment. The main lighting in Lab is provided by 32 suspended linear rows of Concord:marlin's Ovation 65 system. Each unit has 2x35W HE T5 lamps offering direct-indirect lighting distribution.
Energy-efficiency was a key component of the lighting brief, so the lighting is fitted with both daylight-linking and occupancy sensors, to avoid unnecessary burning when not required. However, individual control was important too, so each workstation includes a manual over-ride for the adjacent lighting, allowing students to raise and lower the lighting levels, depending on the visual task. Elsewhere in the new Science Centre, Concord;marlin Brio wall-fittings are used on the stairs and in the circulation areas -- again these were equipped with presence detectors to ensure maximum energy efficiency.
This new £30 million facility and innovative Super Lab, equipped with its modern, interactive, energy-saving lighting, underlines the University's commitment to delivering the highest standard of science education and to supporting British industry with first class science graduates.
